Method for manufacture of low fat natural cheese

Abstract

A low-fat natural cheese is manufactured from skim milk or skim milk cheese. In one embodiment of the invention, a gel-forming fat mimetic is added to skim milk to provide a cheese substrate. The gel-forming fat mimetic may be gelled in situ or may be pregelled. The cheese substrate is then subjected to a cheese make procedure to provide a cheese curd. The cheese curd is then cured to provide a low-fat skim milk cheese. The skim milk cheese is comminuted and heated to a temperature of from about 140° F. to about 180° F. for a period of time sufficient to provide a homogeneous cheese mass. The cheese mass is then packaged to provide a low-fat natural cheese.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for manufacture of low fat natural cheese comprising the steps of; (a) adding a gel-forming fat mimetic which has been blended with an aqueous fluid and formed into a gel to skim milk to provide a cheese substrate;   (b) setting, cutting, cooking and draining said substrate to provide a cheese curd;   (c) curing said cheese curd to provide low-fat skim milk cheese having a gelled matrix dispersed therein;   (d) comminuting said skim milk cheese and heating said cheese to an elevated temperature of from about 140° F. to about 180° F.;   (e) holding said cheese at said elevated temperature for a period of from about 0.5 minutes to about 8 minutes; to provide a homogeneous cheese mass; and   (f) packaging said cheese mass to provide a low-fat natural cheese.   
     
     
       2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said gel-forming fat mimetic is present in said cheese substate at a level of from about 0.5% to about 2.0%, dry solids basis. 
     
     
       3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said gel-forming fat mimetic is selected from the group consisting of starch, starch hydrolysis products and gums. 
     
     
       4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein said starch is selected from non-gelatinized and pre-gelatinized corn starch, tapioca starch and rice starch. 
     
     
       5. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein said starch hydrolysis products are dextrins and maltodextrins having a DE of from about 1 to about 6 produced by hydrolysis of a starch selected from the group consisting of corn starch, rice starch, tapioca starch, potato starch and oat starch. 
     
     
       6. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein said gum is selected from the group consisting of carrageenan, alginate, pectin, gellan, methyl cellulose and konjac. 
     
     
       7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aqueous fluid is selected from water and skim milk. 
     
     
       8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said gel contains from about 10% to about 25% of said gel-forming fat mimetic. 
     
     
       9. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein an emulsifier salt is added to said comminuted skim milk cheese at a level of from about 0.5% to about 1%. 
     
     
       10. A method for manufacture of a low-fat natural cheese comprising the steps of; (a) providing a mixture comprising a skim milk cheese, a gel-forming fat mimetic which has been blended with an aqueous fluid and formed into a gel, and from 0 to 1.3% of an emulsifying salt;   (b) heating said mixture to an elevated temperature of from about 140° F. to about 180° F.;   (c) holding said mixture at said elevated temperature for a period of from about 0.5 minutes to about 8 minutes to provide a homogeneous cheese mass; and   (d) packaging said cheese mass to provide a low-fat natural cheese.   
     
     
       11. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said skim milk cheese is present at a level of from about 71% to about 93.5% by weight, said gel-forming fat mimetic is present at a level of from about 2% to 7% by weight (dry basis) and said emulsifying salt is present at a level of from about 0.5% to about 1.0% by weight and from about 4% to about 21% added water. 
     
     
       12. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein sodium chloride is present in said mixture at a level of from about 1% to about 2.5% by weight. 
     
     
       13. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said gel-forming fat mimetic is present in said cheese substrate at a level of from about 0.5% to about 2.0 %, dry solids basis. 
     
     
       14. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said gel-forming fat mimetic is selected from the group consisting of starch, starch hydrolysis products and gums. 
     
     
       15. A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein said starch is selected from non-gelatinized and pre-gelatinized corn starch, tapioca starch and rice starch. 
     
     
       16. A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein said starch hydrolysis products are dextrins and maltodextrins having a DE of from about 1 to about 6 produced by hydrolysis of a starch selected from the group consisting of corn starch, rice starch, tapioca starch, potato starch and oat starch. 
     
     
       17. A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein said gum is selected from the group consisting of carrageenan, alginate, pectin, gellan, methyl cellulose and konjac. 
     
     
       18. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said aqueous fluid is selected from water and skim milk. 
     
     
       19. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said gel contains from about 10% to about 25% of said gel-forming fat mimetic. 
     
     
       20. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein said salt emulsifier salt is sodium citrate which is present at a level of from about 0.5% to about 1%.